


Waiting Game

by YennaWang



Series: DJ Play That Song! [11]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alluded Depression, Angst, Canon Compliant, F/F, Happy Ending, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-11-07 02:00:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11048955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YennaWang/pseuds/YennaWang
Summary: Sometimes the best things are worth waiting for.DJ PLAY THAT SONG!"I've lost heaven to hell and I know very well I'm gon' get it back. There's just this waiting game and I don't know how to play. It's enough of a fight staying alive anyway."-Waiting Game by Parson James





	Waiting Game

**Author's Note:**

> Although I've written these fics based on songs, I've never overtly recommended listening to the song as you read. I do recommend reading this fic with the song playing as you read, or at least listening to the song before you get into the fic. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

Waiting. That’s what you always find yourself doing.

After your mother’s death, you would return home from school. You’d wait hours, sometimes days for your father to return from work. He changed during this time. He was once a soft, loving man. Now he was cold, hardened. He was full of hatred, led by his need for revenge. You waited for that gentle, loving man to return to you. Waited the majority of your childhood just to be betrayed by him. To lose him to his own hatred.

You had this horrible habit of being habitually early. So early, you would wait thirty minutes or more at times. You couldn’t kick the habit, even when becoming CEO of Future Industries. So you waited then. Waited for meetings to start. Waited to make presentations. Waited to make speeches. You were always waiting.

And you now find yourself waiting once again. You find yourself waiting for a woman. Waiting for your best friend. You hadn’t meant to fall for her, but does anyone really fall for someone on purpose? 

At first you thought it was admiration. Of course she was amazing. She was the Avatar. She was the most powerful bender. She was intelligent, kind, empathetic. She was confident, strong, brave. She was charismatic, funny, beautiful. Of course you’d admire her. But that admiration started to lead to a mix of butterflies and knots in your stomach. It led to your palms sweating, your heart racing, your mouth going dry. Your body reacted before your mind even caught onto what was going on. But the more time you spent with her, the more your mind began to catch up. It began to finally process your feelings cognitively. You were in love with your best friend, not the Avatar, but Korra.

So again you found yourself waiting. You waited for her to catch on to your feelings. You flirted with her when you could, but you were never able to truly express yourself. And even though you’d waited for so many things in your life, you’d wait for another thing once more. You’d wait for Korra.

So when Korra rejected your offer of accompanying her to the Southern Water Tribe, your waiting game intensified. You threw yourself into your work, trying to distract yourself. But this caused you to become stressed even more, the pressures of being a CEO wearing on you. You’d arrive to meetings early, like usual, just watching the clock tick by one second at a time. Ticking on forever, never stopping.

You tried so hard to distract yourself from thinking about Korra, that other thoughts plagued your mind. You waited for sleep to take you, to free you from your mind. But that never worked. Instead your mind worked furiously, thinking about everything. 

You’d think about your mother. Think about how special she was to you. How she was taken from you at such a young age. You’d think of your father. The days that he’d pick you up and twirl you around, both of your laughter filling the room. How a switch seemed to click and he changed so swiftly. How he asked you to betray your friends, so instead you betrayed him. Now you were the reason he was arrested. You’d think about being cheated on by someone you had trusted. How Mako betrayed you. How you became no better when you kissed him later on. You’d think about the disagreements with Raiko. You’d think about the discourse within Future Industries. You’d think about how even though you could buy anything in the world, you couldn’t buy happiness.

You felt heavy. You felt tired. You felt like the fight wasn’t worth it. Every night your head hit that pillow, the voice took over. Mumbled and mumbled about your lack of importance, lack of existence. You felt as if you were a shell and nothing more.

So each morning you chugged through the day. Waiting for something to happen. You weren’t sure of what you were waiting for specifically, but you were definitely waiting for something. 

* * *

It was a particularly hard day for you. Receiving another letter from your father split your heart two ways. You wanted so badly to see him, to speak with him. But the other side told you not to. It wasn’t what you needed right now. Not after everything he’d done. Done to the city. Done to you. You open the bottom drawer of your desk, shoving the letter with the others.

* * *

You fall onto your bed, your legs curling into your chest. Your arms clasped around your legs, tears stream down your cheeks as you sob. How were you the greatest thing he created? How could someone this weak, this broken, this worthless, be great? He was wrong. He was always wrong.

* * *

You don’t know how you get here, but you do. The park is quiet, serene. So different from the thoughts that are filling your head. The voice was back. Last night the feelings of hopelessness, of worthlessness filled you once more. But something about being here seemed to stifle those thoughts. You walk  through the park, taking in the quiet singing of the birds. The smell of freshly cut grass. The soft sounds of the water flowing from the fountain. Your feet shuffle through the dirt path, sometimes kicking a pebble here and there. For once you feel okay. Like the battle hasn’t been lost yet.

You see her in the distance. You see her wolftails, her poised stature. Your pace quickens without even thinking. Finally you make it to her. You lift your hand, running it over the smooth stone. You look up. She’s stoic, her lips in a flat line. You miss her lopsided smile. You miss how her eyes twinkled and seemed so innocent at times. You miss her soft hair that she’d sometimes allow you to play with. You miss her oddly soft hands. Hands that contrasted the feel and color of your own. You missed her voice. That soothing voice that seemed to bring you peace, release your worries.

Your heart sinks as you remove your hand from the statue. Feeling as if you’ve lost a connection to her even though the statue isn’t the real Korra. The Korra that you will wait for. You take one final deep breath and pull yourself away. Leaving the park, leaving your safe haven.

* * *

The storm rages outside and you put down the mug you’re holding. You watch as the rain splashes against the window. How the plants on the windowsill shake slightly with each rumble of thunder. How the clouds appear from the darkness as lightning fills the sky. There’s something oddly calming about the storm. The fact that nature has fights just as often as you do. How nature sheds tears. How nature is not perfect.

* * *

The letter arrives. A sign for you to keep fighting. For you to be patient. To continue waiting.

* * *

You grasp the pai sho board in your hands, your knuckles pale due to the exertion. You did it. You expressed yourself to your father. You’ll work on making amends. You’re not angry, but sad. You waited, you were patient, but sometimes moving forward on your own is needed. You finally see that waiting isn’t always the best decision.

* * *

You had waited three years for this moment. Three years you were more than patient. Your skin tingles as you feel her breath against your neck. Your heart races as her body is flush with your own. Your eyes close, taking in the moment. Three years.

* * *

It’s not the same. There’s a tension that permeates the room. It’s easy for you to snap and when you do she recoils. Her eyes show regret, sadness, and something else you can’t put your finger on. And you don’t know how to play. You don’t know what to say. This is new ground for you. A new waiting game.

* * *

It’s almost like old times and you actually forget the things that have been plaguing your mind. You laugh as she helps you to your feet, making sure that you’re okay. You both wipe off the dirt from your clothing, sharing smiles. Then you feel like you’re safe again. Safe in their arms. Something you haven’t felt in so long. Maybe the waiting game is paying off.

* * *

You don’t know what to say when you approach. You say that you’re worried she may be cold, but that’s a lie. She doesn’t seem to notice though. And you give her the tea with some advice. Show her her strengths, all of the things you admire about her. You know what to say to her, how to help her. But you can’t do the same for yourself.

* * *

Out of all the people to work with it’s him. Yes, you’re good at waiting. Yes, you’re a patient person. But to work with someone who tried to steal your own company right from under your nose. To even have to be in the same space as him. He just brings back thoughts of your weaknesses, of your naivety. You bite your tongue though for the greater good.

* * *

You can’t be patient anymore. The clock is ticking and the suits are still not ready. The walls are falling and hell seems to be engulfing you once more. You push the voice to the back of your mind, knowing that you need to finish this. That you can finish it. You need to not be worthless. You need to prove yourself.

* * *

You don’t expect it, but you don’t hate it either. You accept your father’s help. You had fixed a lot of things that you hadn’t expected to fix. You played the waiting game, but that didn’t succeed for you. So you pushed forward to fix your relationship. And here you are now, finally fixing it. He’s your father and you wouldn’t change that for the world.

* * *

You can’t wait, not this time. Ice is shattering over the hummingbird suit. The plasma saws aren’t working fast enough. You tell him time’s up. That the clock is ticking faster and faster, but he doesn’t budge. He loves you. You know that. And then the last thing you know is that you’ve been ejected. Tears stream down your face. You’ve lost this fight. You’ve lost the father that you had just gotten back. You can’t do this. You can’t keep playing this game to just lose.

* * *

Your heart sinks once more. She’s nowhere to be seen. You stand there, closing your eyes for a moment to compose yourself. You’d waited for her. For her to return, just like your father. And you’ve lost her too. You hold back the tears, not being able to show your weakness with so many people around.

You’ve lost another game. You’ve waited once more just to lose again. 

What’s the importance of waiting for a change. Being patient in a world that just takes. A world that is unfair. A world that makes you feel worthless, weak. Why play the game?

* * *

She’s here. She’s alive. And all you want to do is reach out to here. To tell her how you truly feel. But again you decide to play the waiting game. You show your support for her, show her that if she needs anything you’ll be there. But again, you’re patient.

* * *

You wait as you get ready for the reception.

You wait as you sit beside her, watching the couple exchange vows. 

You wait as the sun sets and the dancing begins. 

You wait as people speak with her throughout the night.

You’ve been patient. You’ve waited. And finally you see the opening.

The voice in your head goes quiet as you’re finally alone with her. 

You’re honest with her. Your walls come crumbling down as tears stream down your cheeks. You’ve waited for this moment. Her arms wrapped around you, your safe haven. You don’t know what comes over you, you were always one to work so hard, to put people before yourself, to fight your battles on your own. But you suggest a vacation. And she jumps on it. For once your heart soars and things feel as if they’ve fallen in place.

* * *

Your hands are clasped tightly together and the voice has been silenced. For the first time you feel as if you’ve actually won the game. You don’t know if the thoughts will return, but it’s worth the fight. It’s worth each moment if you have her. You’re finally home. Yes, it’s a waiting game and although it’s hard to play on your own, sometimes having that one other person can change the whole game. Can finally help you win. You’ve lost heaven to hell, but somehow you’ve turned hell to heaven.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't write too many canon compliant fics/oneshots, but I hope you enjoyed this. 
> 
> If you did like it, don't forget to kudos/comment/subscribe!
> 
> Also thanks to keeping-you-at-arms-length for requesting the song!


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